In Alaska, everything is larger than life: glaciers, moose, trees, and bald eagles.
Trying to see Alaska by motor vehicle definitely has its limitations. When looking at a map of the state, only a relatively small portion is accessible by road. Nevertheless, the panorama of Alaska can still be experienced from the highways, and Route 1 is considered as one of the best. Driving into Alaska, Tok is the first major crossroads and where you pick up Route1, better known as the Tok Cut-Off. As a freeway, Route 1 is as well maintained as can be for one that experiences such extremes of temperature. The pavement is just about glassy but the underlying ground bucks the road into a mild roller coaster effect. If you’ve driven up the Alaska Highway to get here, it’ll be the smoothest road you’ve seen in days. As Route1 rolls through the magnificent forests of Alaska, the first thing you begin to notice is how big everything is. Read more . . .
While Northern Wisconsin is full of wonderful scenery, Route 70 is the best choice, as it takes you across the Nicolet National Forest for unbroken majestic vistas of the Northwoods. Take U.S. 2 west several miles out of Iron Mountain, Michigan, and pick up Route Seventy toward Eagle River. The rolling hills of this route provide vista after vista of this forest primeval.
Although maybe not for everyone, a trip of the Great River Road (GRR) offers much compared to the average interstate. It changes route frequently, crossing the Mississippi River when it can, and dallying in towns all other roads have forgotten. Driving the GRR, road trippers can escape creeping RVs, semi trucks, and endless billboards usually found on other routes. Other rewards include wildlife and local color.
The southwest edge of South Dakota is a tourist’s dream. Since the rest of the state is a little flat and unspectacular, both our trips are in the southwest. You begin in Hot Springs, 53 miles south of Rapid City, and drive thirteen miles north on U.S. 385 to the entrance of Wind Cave National Park. It is seventeen miles straight through Wind Cave and Custer State Park to U.S. 16 Alt., but you might want to take the Wildlife Loop Road for the twenty-mile ride around Custer Park. The Prairie Dogs, bear, antelope, elk, bison, and other woodland friends are out waiting for you. Turn west on Route 16
The Black Hills drive is a four-hour trip from Devil’s Tower Junction in Wyoming to Custer, South Dakota. Travel north on Route 24 from Devil’s Tower Junction toward Devil’s Tower National Monument. Devil’s Tower is an 867-foot structure formed by a fountain of volcanic magma that cooled and formed over 60 million years ago. There is also a Visitor Center and a 1.3-mile trail around the tower.